Swimming



(No Model.)

W. LUGE. SWIMMING APPLIANCE.

Patented Mar. 30, 1897.

we NORRIS Pnzns co, PHOYCl-UYHO, vusumcmn, n. c.

UNrrnD STATES ATENT' FFICE.

WILLIAM LUOE, OF NEHALEM, OREGON.

SWIMMING APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,758, dated March 30, 1897. Application filed September 25, 1896. Serial No. 606,952. (No model.)

To (Ml whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM LUCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nehalem, in the county of Tillamook and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Swimming Appliance, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to swimming appliances; and it has for its object to provide an appliance of this character adapted to be attached to the limbs of a swimmer to facilitate the propulsion of the body through the water; and the invention primarily contemplates certain improvements in that class of swimming appliances employing a feathering or folding paddle or structure which contracts when the limb is advanced or drawn forward and which expands when the limb is thrust rearwardly, so as to obtain a purchase upon the water and forcibly impel the swimmer forward.

\Vith these and other objects in view,which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a swimming appliance constructed in accordance with this invention, showing the feathering or folding paddle in its open or expanded position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the appliance, showing the paddle collapsed or in the folded position it assumes when the appliance is drawn forward. Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 with the paddle in its open or expanded position, showing more clearly the relation of the arched spring-wire with respect to the central ribs of the paddle. Fig. 4 is a detail inperspective of one of the ribs of the flexible folding paddle. Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of the frame or pivot bar having the pivot-grooves.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates an oblong wire legframe having opposite longitudinal side portions 2 and transverse curved end portions 3, which side and end portions 2 and 3 are bent to approximate the outline of the tibial portion of the limb to which the appliance is attached. Directly adjacent to its front end with respect to the position of the swimmer in the water the wire legframe 1 has attached to its opposite side portions 2 the opposite extremities of a leg-strap 4, having a buckle connection 5, adapted to embrace the leg of the swimmer so as to firmly attach the front portion of the leg-frame thereto, and at its rear end the opposite side portions of the leg-frame 1 have attached thereto the opposite extremities of an ankle-strap 6, having a buckle connection 7 and adapted to encircle the ankle of the swimmer, so as to properly fasten the rear end of the leg-frame to the limb, and in connection with the ankleencircling strap 6 is employed a foot-strap 8, secured at one end, as at 9, on the rear end portion 3 of the leg-frame and provided at its other end with a loop 10, receiving the anklestrap 6 at the forward side of the buckle 7, so as to prevent the said strap 8 from working backward over the heel of the swimmer. The said straps 4, 6, and 8 therefore comprise the harness which is preferably employed for attaching the leg-frame 1 to the limb of the swimmer.

At a point intermediate of its opposite ends the leg-frame 1 has suitably secured thereto an arched paddle-supporting wire frame 11. The arched paddle-supporting wire frame 11 is substantially semicircular in shape and is arranged transversely across the frame 1, so as to connect with the side portions 2 and at the same time partly encircle the limb of the swimmer to which the frame 1 is attached. The transversely arranged arched paddlesupporting wire frame 11 may be wired or otherwise suitably fastened, as at 12, to the side portion 2 of theleg-frame, and essentially comprises a suitable length of stout wire bent to form parallel arched frame-bars 13 and 14, the bar 13 being the forwardly-disposed bar and forming a stop which will be hereinafter referred to, while the bar 14 is the rearwardlydisposed bar and forms a pivotal support for the flexible feathering or folding paddle 15.

The flexible feathering or folding paddle 15 is approximately segmental in shape by reason of the semicircular form of the supporting-frame 11 thereof, and comprises a series of outwardly-diverging rigid ribs 16 and a flexible web 17, made of oiled silk or other suitable light waterproof fabric, and is secured to the ribs 16 in any convenient manner, preferably by stitching, the outer portion of said imperforate flexible Web 17 being preferably strengthened by a binding-cord 18, inserted in a hem or casing at the edge of the web and passing through the loops or eyes 10, formed at the outer ends of the ribs 16. The said ribs 16 are formed from wire of suitable gage, cut in the proper length, and each length be ing doubled upon itself and coiled at the folded end to provide the outer terminal loop or eye 19 just referred to. The folded portions of the wire ribs are closely twisted together to give strength and rigidity to the ribs, and at their inner ends the said ribs 16 are each provided with a pair of diverging right-angular]y-disposed attaching-feet 20, the terminals of which are bent to form pivoteyes 21, pivotally engaging in the annular pivot grooves 22, formed in the rear pivot-bar 14 of the paddlesupporting frame 11, thereby completing the pivotal connection between the paddle and its supporting-frame, and said right-angularly-bent attaehingfeet 20 are adapted to engage against the forward stopbar 13 of the frame 11 when the paddle is opened or expanded, so as to limit the opening of the paddle and brace the same while the paddle is being forced rearwardly by the limb of the swimmer directly against the water.

An arched spring-wire 23 is connected at its opposite terminals, as at 2i, to the opposite side portions 2 of the frame 1, and is disposed adjacent to and at one side of the pivot-bar 14: of the paddle-supporting frame 11. The arched spring-wire 23 projects beyond the adjacent pivot-bar ll and is adapted to be engaged by the central ribs 16 of the paddle when the latter is closed by the forward movement of the leg, it being understood that when the leg is drawn up or for ward the paddle is caused to collapse or fold down against the rear portion of the legframe. In this movement of the paddle the central ribs engage against and compress the arched spring-wire so that when the leg is fully drawn forward ready for the back stroke the water pressure is removed from the flexible paddle, thereby allowing the spring-wire 23 to resume its normal position, and in so doing the said spring-wire forces open the paddle, so as to insure it catching the water and f nlly opening when the back or rearward stroke of the leg is made, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a swimming appliance, the eombination of an elongated leg-frame having attached means, an arched paddle-supporting wire frame arranged transversely of the leg frame intermediate of its ends and having separate parallel arched bars, the rear of which bars forms a pivotbar and is provided at intervals with annular pivot-grooves, and a segmental flexible folding paddle comprising a series of ontwardly-diverging rigid ribs and a flexible imperforate web secured to said ribs, said ribs consisting of twisted wire bodies provided at their inner ends with a pair of diverging right-angularly-disposed attaching -feet having terminal pivot eyes loosely engaging in the pivotgrooves of said. pivot-bar, said right-angularly-disposed attaching-feet being adapted to engage against the stop-bar of the paddle-supporting frame to limit the opening or expansion of the flexible paddle, substantially set forth.

2. In a swimming appliance, a wire legframe having attaching means, an arched paddle-support arranged transversely of the legframe between its ends and secured thereto, a flexible folding paddle having a series of outwardly-diverging rigid ribs pivoted or hinged at their inner ends to said paddlesupport, and a spring arranged in a fixed position at one side of the paddle-support and adapted to be compressed by the ribs of the paddle when the latter is folded during the forward movement of the appliance, substantially as set forth.

In aswimming appliance, an oblong wire leg-frame having attaching means, an arched paddle-support arranged transversely of the leg-fran'ie and secured thereto intermediate of its ends, a flexible folding paddle having rigid ribs pivoted or hinged at their inner ends to said arched paddle-support, and an arched spring-wire secured at its tern'iinals to the side portions of the leg-frame and arranged at one side of the paddle-support and projecting beyond the latter so as to be engaged by the central ribs of the paddle when the latter is folded rearwardly by the forward movement of the appliance, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in. the presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM LUCIE.

Vitnesses:

RICHARD Loon, GEORGE Leon. 

